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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Vatican City, 29 April 2015 (VIS) –
Following last Wednesday's catechesis on God's original plan for man
and woman as a couple, the Pope spoke at today's general audience
about marriage, recalling that Jesus' first miracle took place during
the wedding at Cana, when He transformed water into wine and thus
ensured that the celebrations could take place. “This fact reminds
us of Genesis, when God completed His creation with his masterpiece:
man and woman”, he said. “And Jesus began His miracles with this
masterpiece, in marriage. … Thus Jesus teaches us that the
masterpiece of society is the family: the man and the woman who love
each other. ... Since that time, many things have changed but that
'sign' of Christ contains a message that remains valid”.

“Nowadays it does not seem easy to
describe marriage as a celebration that is renewed over time, in the
different seasons in the entire life of spouses. It is a fact that
fewer people marry. Instead, in many countries the number of
separations is increasing, while the number of children is in
decline. The difficulty of staying together – both as a couple and
as a family – leads to bonds being broken with increasing frequency
and rapidity. … In effect, many young people are led to give up the
plan of an irrevocable bond and a lasting family. There is a kind of
culture of the provisional: everything is temporary, and it seems
that nothing is permanent”.

For this reason, the Pope continued,
one of the questions we must face nowadays is why young people do not
choose to get married, and seem to have little confidence in marriage
and in the family. “The difficulties are not only of an economic
nature, although these are very important”, he observed. “Many
people believe that the change that has taken place in recent decades
was set in motion by the emancipation of women. But this argument is
not valid either. It is an insult, a form of misogyny that seeks to
subjugate women. If men behave in this way, we are like Adam, when
God asked him who had eaten the fruit of the tree, and he said that
the woman gave it to him”.

“In reality, almost all men and women
would prefer emotional security in the form of a solid marriage and a
happy family … but, for fear of failure, many do not even want to
think about it. … Perhaps it is precisely that fear of failure that
is the greatest obstacle to receiving the word of Christ, Who
promises His grace to the matrimonial union and to the family”.
However, “marriage consecrated by God preserves that bond between
man and woman that God has blessed ever since the creation of the
world; and it is a source of peace and good for all married and
family life. For example, in the early times of Christianity, this
great dignity of the bond between man and woman defeated an abuse
considered to be entirely normal in those times, that is, the right
of husbands to repudiate their wives, even for the most specious and
humiliating reasons. The Gospel, the Gospel that announces this
sacrament, ended this culture of habitual repudiation”.

“The Christian seed of radical
equality between spouses must bear new fruit today”, emphasised the
Holy Father. “The witness of the social dignity of marriage will
become persuasive, the witness of reciprocity between husband and
wife, of complementarity. .. And as Christians we must become more
demanding in this respect. For example, in decisively supporting
equal pay for equal work: inequality is a scandal. Why is it taken
for granted that women should earn less than men? No! They have the
same rights. At the same time, the maternity of women and the
paternity of men should be recognised as a richness that remains
valid, especially for the benefit of children. Equally, the virtue of
hospitality in Christian families today retains a crucial importance,
especially in situations of poverty, degradation and domestic
violence”.

“Do not be afraid of inviting Jesus
to the wedding celebrations! And also His Mother Mary!” exclaimed
Pope Francis. “Christians, when they marry 'in the Lord', are
transformed into an effective sign of God's love. Christians do not
marry only for themselves: they marry in the Lord in favour of all
the community, of society as a whole”.

Vatican City, 29 April 2015 (VIS) –
Yesterday evening in the Brancaccio theatre, Rome, the guests of the
Caritas reception centre were the protagonists of the play “Se non
fosse per te” (“If it were not for you”), directed by Carlo Del
Giudice, which narrates their life stories. It recounts stories of
love, disappointment and abandonment, but also of mutual love for
children, parents, life and God. It offers a unique opportunity for
dialogue between Rome and her most vulnerable citizens, in which Pope
Francis wished to participate by sending a video message to the
actors.

“The way in which you speak to the
city offers a meaningful opportunity for dialogue and exchange.
Between you, on the stage, displaying your hidden talents, assisted
by expert professionals who have guided you as actors to enable your
resources and potential to flourish – and those who are listen,
surely amazed by the richness you offer. Whoever thought that a
homeless person could be someone we can learn from? Whoever thought
they could be a saint? Instead, this evening you transmit to us from
the stage valuable teachings on love, on the needs of others, on
solidarity, and on how to find, amid difficulties, the love of the
Father”.

“Poverty is the great teaching that
Jesus gave to us when he descended into the waters of the Jordan to
be baptised by John the Baptist. He did not do so out of a need for
penance, for conversion; He did so in order to be among the people,
people in need of forgiveness, in the midst of us, sinners, in order
to bear the burden of our sins. And this is the path He chose so as
to console us, save us, liberate us from our misery. That which gives
us true freedom, true salvation and true happiness is His love of
compassion, tenderness and sharing. The Good Samaritan who lifts us
up, beaten by robbers”.

“St. Gregory of Nyssa, a great
theologian of antiquity, writes: 'Consider well who are the poor in
the Gospel and discover their dignity; they wear the face of the
Lord. In His mercy He has given them His own face'. And St. Augustine
said, 'On earth Christ is hungry in the poor. You must fear Christ in
heaven and recognise Him on earth; on earth He is poor, in heaven He
is rich'”.

“I too wish to make these words my
own. You are not a burden to us. You are the wealth without which our
attempts to discover the face of the Lord are in vain. A few days
after my election, I received from you a letter of well wishes and
offers of prayer. I remember replying immediately, to tell you that I
hold you in my heart and am at your disposal. I confirm those words.
On that occasion I asked you to pray for me. I reiterate my request,
as I am truly in need of your prayers”.

The Pope went on to thank all the
workers of Caritas Rome. “I think of them as my hands, the hands of
the bishop, in touching the Body of Christ. I also thank the many
volunteers from the parishes of Rome and other parts of Italy. In
this way they discover a world that requires attention and
solidarity; men and women who seek affection, relationships, dignity,
and with whom we can experience charity by learning to welcome,
listen and give of ourselves”.

The Pope remarked that the city of Rome
has in all times been distinguished by persons filled with God's
love. “Let us think of St. Lawrence (his jewels were the poor) and
St. Pammachius (a Roman senator who converted and devoted himself
exclusively to the service of the least among us), St. Fabiola (the
first to build a hostel for the poor in Porto), St. Philip Neri,
Blessed Angelo Paoli, St. Joseph Labre (the 'beggar saint'), and Don
Luigi di Liegro, founder of Caritas Rome. How I would like Rome to
shine with 'pietas' for those who suffer, with welcome for those who
flee from war and death, with willingness, smiles and magnanimity for
those who have lost hope. How I would like the Church of Rome always
to show herself to be an ever more attentive and caring mother to the
weak. We all have weaknesses, all of us; everyone has their own. How
I would like the parish communities in prayer, as a poor person
enters the Church, to kneel in veneration as they do when the Lord
enters! How I would like the flesh of Christ to be touched in the
needy of this city”.

The Pope concluded his message by
expressing his hope of meeting the actors personally, as occurred
recently with the homeless in the Sistine Chapel, and he bestowed on
them his blessing.